Montclair commuters fans of NJ Transit's expanded Quiet Commute

In the coming weeks, a quiet ride from Montclair to Hoboken will not be a luxury limited to commuters.

NJ Transit Executive Director Veronique Hakim announced last week that that the agency will expand its Quiet Commute program to off-peak hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the Montclair-Boonton Line and five other service lines arriving and departing from Hoboken Terminal.

Quiet Commute cars cater to passengers who refrain from using their cell phones while riding, turn off the sound on electronic devices and keep conversations to a low volume as to not disturb fellow commuters.

The cars are currently available during peak commuter hours on the Montclair-Boonton line from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The pilot program testing the expansion will begin on Monday, May 5, according to a NJ Transit release. Quiet Commute will be available on the first and last cars on the train.

Josh Crandall, a Montclair commuter who operates CleverCommute.com - a website that gathers input from commuters, social media and transit companies - said that expansion is likely to be well received.

"People who use the quiet cars are quite passionate about it. They are passionate about finding the first and last cars," Crandall said. "I think it's a good idea. It gives something for everybody."

NJ Transit's Quiet Commute program was first launched on the system's busiest lines in September 2010 before expanding to all peak-hour trains in June 2011, according to a NJ Transit release.

When the program was first launched, Crandall said, there was some friction among commuters, as some riders would hop onto a quiet car without realizing it and create noise, disturbing fellow passengers. Those sorts of issues have improved, noted Crandall.

Other Montclair commuters also told The Times that they were in favor of the expansion.

"Occasionally, I wish I was in the quiet car when I'm not," Alan Berkowitz said.

Berkowitz told The Times that, overall, he supports commuters having options when they travel. He said that quiet cars could benefit from better signage.

Marlene Bartos said that she regularly uses the peak-hour quiet cars as they afford her the opportunity to focus on reading or work rather than being distracted by loud conversations around her.

"I can't imagine why it wouldn't be worth expanding," said Bartos. "Honestly, I think that anything NJ Transit does, anything they do for their customers that make the commutes easier or more enjoyable, is certainly a worthy effort on their part."

With quieter commutes now expanding, Bartos mused that NJ Transit could focus on other ways to enhance commutes, namely providing wireless internet on trains.